PCB to fully scrutinise tenders for the RDF processing plant

Pune: After the suspicious tender filling by one of the four agencies for starting a processing plant for conversion of dry and wet garbage into Revised Derived fuel (RDF), the General Body meeting of the Pune Cantonment Board (PCB) decided to conduct a thorough scrutiny before finalising the bidder.

Apparently, after Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) issued a notice to the PCB for not complying with Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016 and not setting up a processing plant, the Cantonment started issuing tenders for the same. This decision to start the tendering process was discussed at the last board meeting held in August, at  which it was decided that Kiran Mantri and Atul Gaikwad, ward members of PCB, were given the responsibility to look after it. 

Recently four online tenders were received by PCB and three outsourcing agencies quoted the tender of Rs 500 per tonne while one outsourcing agency quoted the tender of Rs 277 per tonne. 

Dilip Giramkar, ward member of PCB, said usually the tender is awarded to the one who quotes less. But he had doubts about this particular outsourcing agency which had quoted less when the other three have quoted near Rs 500 per tonne. After some investigation he found that the same agency had worked with Pune Municipal Corporation for processing plant and had quoted Rs 390 per tonne. He said, “According to the condition the bidder or the agency should have technical experience of more than two years and this agency does not have it. And the experience letter of this agency is not self-declared but given to them by another agency who has shut down for three years. That is why there we are suspicious about it.”

He alleged that Mantri and Gaikwad were told to look into this matter but it seems they have not looked into it seriously.

When asked, Mantri blamed the chartered accountant. “Because we were busy in the inauguration of various events held in the Cantonment area, that is why we were not able to focus attention on the matter.” 
Now, Mantri and Gaikwad will review the issue with the CA and make a report about its clarification in seven days and then the tender will be awarded for processing plant and capping at trenching ground, Hadapsar.